Khasab was built on the tip of the Musandam Peninsula by the Portuguese in the 17th Century, to protect its ships sailing through the Hormuz Strait. The crenelated Khasab Fortress is now a museum with interesting ethnographic displays including ingenious housing techniques used in the past. There is a vintage fortified home, the Khmazera Castle in town, and a nice beach a bit outside, but the real attraction of Khasab are the cruises of the majestic ‘fjords’ that corrugate the peninsula’s shorelines. Traditional wooden dhows take visitors on tours of these dramatic waterways, which are populated by dolphins that frequently accompany the boats to the visitors’ delight. Fortresses stand out against the sky atop some of the steep cliffs, making it a geological wonderland that you will never forget.